بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Ever-Merciful.

الم. تَنْزِيْلُ الْكِتَابِ لَا رَيْبَ فِيْهِ مِنْ رَّبِّ الْعَالَمِيْنَ. أَمْ يَقُوْلُوْنَ افْتَرَاهُ بَلْ هُوَ الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَّبِّكَ لِتُنْذِرَ قَوْمًا مَّآ أَتَاهُمْ مِّنْ نَّذِيْرٍ مِّنْ قَبْلِكَ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَهْتَدُوْنَ.

This is Surah Alif Lam Mim.1 Undoubtedly, the revelation of this Book is from the Lord of the worlds. Do they say that this person has fabricated it himself?2 Certainly not! In fact, it is the truth which has come from your Lord3 so that you can warn people4 to whom no warner came before you so that they can be guided. (1-3)

اللَّهُ الَّذِی خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا فِیْ سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ مَا لَكُمْ مِّنْ دُوْنِهِ مِنْ وَلِيٍّ وَّلَا شَفِيْعٍ أَفَلَا تَتَذَكَّرُوْنَ.

 [They associate partners with Him. In reality,] it is God Who has created the heavens and the earth and that between them in six5 days. Then He sat on the throne.6 There is neither anyone except Him Who is your guardian nor anyone who can intercede for you with Him. Do you not pay heed then? (4)

يُدَبِّرُ الْأَمْرَ مِنَ السَّمَآءِ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ ثُمَّ يَعْرُجُ إِلَيْهِ فِیْ يَوْمٍ كَانَ مِقْدَارُهُ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ مِّمَّا تَعُدُّوْنَ. ذَلِكَ عَالِمُ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ الْعَزِيْزُ الرَّحِيْمُ.

It is He Who governs all affairs from the heavens to the earth;7 then they return to Him8 in a day whose extent is one thousand years according to your count.9 He knows the hidden and the apparent; is the Powerful and the Merciful. 10 (5-6)

الَّذِیْ أَحْسَنَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ خَلَقَهُ وَبَدَأَ خَلْقَ الْإِنْسَانِ مِنْ طِيْنٍ. ثُمَّ جَعَلَ نَسْلَهُ مِنْ سُلَالَةٍ مِّنْ مَّآءٍ مَّهِيْنٍ. ثُمَّ سَوَّاهُ وَنَفَخَ فِيْهِ مِنْ رُّوحِهِ وَجَعَلَ لَكُمُ السَّمْعَ وَالْأَبْصَارَ وَالْأَفْئِدَةَ قَلِيْلًا مَّا تَشْكُرُوْنَ.

 [It is He] Who has excelled in the creation of everything.11 He began creating a human being from clay;12 then carried on his progeny from an insignificant fluid;13 then perfected it and blew into it from His spirit14 and for you made ears [for hearing], eyes [for seeing] and hearts [for understanding]15 – seldom are you grateful.16 (7-9)

وَقَالُوْا أَئِذَا ضَلَلْنَا فِی الْأَرْضِ أَئِنَّا لَفِیْ خَلْقٍ جَدِيْدٍ بَلْ هُم بِلِقَآئِ رَبِّهِمْ كَافِرُونَ. قُلْ يَتَوَفَّاكُم مَّلَكُ الْمَوْتِ الَّذِیْ وُكِّلَ بِكُمْ ثُمَّ إِلَى رَبِّكُمْ تُرْجَعُوْنَ. وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذِ الْمُجْرِمُوْنَ نَاكِسُو رُؤُوسِهِمْ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ رَبَّنَا أَبْصَرْنَا وَسَمِعْنَا فَارْجِعْنَا نَعْمَلْ صَالِحًا إِنَّا مُوقِنُوْنَ. وَلَوْ شِئْنَا لَآتَيْنَا كُلَّ نَفْسٍ هُدَاهَا وَلَكِنْ حَقَّ الْقَوْلُ مِنِّي لَأَمْلَأَنَّ جَهَنَّمَ مِنَ الْجِنَّةِ وَالنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِيْنَ. فَذُوْقُوا بِمَا نَسِيتُمْ لِقَآءَ يَوْمِكُمْ هَذَا إِنَّا نَسِينَاكُمْ وَذُوْقُوْا عَذَابَ الْخُلْدِ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُوْنَ.

 [These are the majesties of the God Who has created them. In spite of this,] they say:17 “When we are mingled with clay, then will we be created again?” No! They do not regard it as improbable;18 in fact, they deny meeting their Lord.19 Tell them: Your soul will be claimed by the very angel of death who has been deputed to you; then you shall be returned to your Lord alone.20 If you had seen [O Prophet! You would have had an idea of their helplessness] when these wrongdoers will stand before their Lord with heads lowered and will confess: “Our Lord! We have seen and heard; now You send us back so that we do righteous deeds; we now have full conviction.” [In reply, it will be said: “What then was the need of test?] If We wanted, We would have given  each person’s guidance Ourselves21 but [We made you pass through a test and you preferred error over guidance. Thus,] what I had said has been fulfilled that I shall fill Hell with all jinn and mankind.22 So, now taste that flavour that you became forgetful of the meeting of this day. We have also forgotten you.23 Now taste eternal punishment because of your misdeeds.” (10-14)

إِنَّمَا يُؤْمِنُ بِآيَاتِنَا الَّذِيْنَ إِذَا ذُكِّرُوْا بِهَا خَرُّوْا سُجَّدًا وَّسَبَّحُوْا بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ وَهُمْ لَا يَسْتَكْبِرُوْنَ. تَتَجَافَى جُنُوْبُهُمْ عَنِ الْمَضَاجِعِ يَدْعُوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ خَوْفًا وَّطَمَعًا وَّمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُوْنَ. فَلَا تَعْلَمُ نَفْسٌ مَّآ أُخْفِيَ لَهُم مِّنْ قُرَّةِ أَعْيُنٍ جَزَآءً بِمَا كَانُوْا يَعْمَلُوْنَ.

Only they profess belief in Our revelations [O Prophet!] who when reminded through them fall down in prostration24 and glorify their Lord while praising Him25 and are never arrogant.26 Their backs remain away from their beds. They call out to their Lord in fear and hope27 and spend from whatever We have given them. So, no one knows the bliss of the eyes We have concealed for them as reward for their deeds.28 (15-17)

أَفَمَنْ كَانَ مُؤْمِنًا كَمَنْ كَانَ فَاسِقًا لَا يَسْتَوُونَ. أَمَّا الَّذِيْنَ آمَنُوْا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ فَلَهُمْ جَنَّاتُ الْمَأْوَى نُزُلًا بِمَا كَانُوْا يَعْمَلُوْنَ. وَأَمَّا الَّذِيْنَ فَسَقُوْا فَمَأْوَاهُمُ النَّارُ كُلَّمَا أَرَادُوْا أَنْ يَّخْرُجُوْا مِنْهَآ أُعِيْدُوْا فِيْهَا وَقِيلَ لَهُمْ ذُوقُوْا عَذَابَ النَّارِ الَّذِیْ كُنْتُمْ بِهِ تُكَذِّبُوْنَ.

 [They do not believe in it.] So, [ask them:] Will he who is a believer become like him who is disobedient?29 Both cannot be the same.30 Those who accepted faith and have done righteous deeds, for them are orchards of bliss31 as an initial hospitality in reward of their deeds. And those who remained disobedient, their abode is Hell. Whenever they would want to come out from it, they will be driven back into it and it will be said: “Taste now the flavour of the torment you would persistently deny.” (18-20)

وَلَنُذِيقَنَّهُمْ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ الْأَدْنَى دُوْنَ الْعَذَابِ الْأَكْبَرِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُوْنَ. وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنْ ذُكِّرَ بِآيَاتِ رَبِّهِ ثُمَّ أَعْرَضَ عَنْهَا إِنَّا مِنَ الْمُجْرِمِيْنَ مُنتَقِمُوْنَ.

Before this big torment, We shall also necessarily make them taste some near at hand torment32 so that they pay heed. Who can be more unjust than those who are reminded through the revelations of their Lord, then they turn away from them? We shall definitely seek revenge from such wrongdoers.33 (21-22)

وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا مُوْسَى الْكِتَابَ فَلَا تَكُنْ فِیْ مِرْيَةٍ مِّنْ لِّقَآئِهِ وَجَعَلْنَاهُ هُدًى لِّبَنِي إِسْرَائِيْلَ. وَجَعَلْنَا مِنْهُمْ أَئِمَّةً يَّهْدُوْنَ بِأَمْرِنَا لَمَّا صَبَرُوْا وَكَانُوْا بِآيَاتِنَا يُوقِنُوْنَ. إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ يَفْصِلُ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فِيْمَا كَانُوْا فِيْهِ يَخْتَلِفُوْنَ.

We had given the Book to Moses also [and in a similar way sought revenge from those who denied it.] 34 So, [O Prophet!] You must not be in any doubt that you will have to encounter that day.35 And We had made that very Book a guidance for the Israelites and when they showed steadfastness and they also had full conviction in Our revelations, We appointed such leaders in them who would guide them at Our behest.36 [Then they differed with one another; so,] there is no doubt that [now] on the Day of Judgement your Lord will resolve matters in which they have been differing. (23-25)

أَوَلَمْ يَهْدِ لَهُمْ كَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ مِّنَ الْقُرُوْنِ يَمْشُوْنَ فِیْ مَسَاكِنِهِمْ إِنَّ فِیْ ذَلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ أَفَلَا يَسْمَعُوْنَ.

Did this thing also not become a means of guidance for them that how many a nation before them We destroyed? They walk about in their [ruined] dwellings even today.37 There are certainly many signs in this.38 Then do they not hear?39 (26)

أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا أَنَّا نَسُوْقُ الْمَآءَ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ الْجُرُزِ فَنُخْرِجُ بِهِ زَرْعًا تَأْكُلُ مِنْهُ أَنْعَامُهُمْ وَأَنفُسُهُمْ أَفَلَا يُبْصِرُوْنَ.

 [They express amazement on the advent of the Hereafter! Ask them:] Have they not seen that We drive [clouds of] water to a barren land; then bring forth crops from it from which both they and their cattle eat. Then do they not see?40 (27)

وَيَقُوْلُوْنَ مَتَى هَذَا الْفَتْحُ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِيْنَ. قُلْ يَوْمَ الْفَتْحِ لَا يَنْفَعُ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا إِيْمَانُهُمْ وَلَا هُمْ يُنْظَرُوْنَ. فَأَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ وَانْتَظِرْ إِنَّهُم مُّنتَظِرُوْنَ.

They ask:41 “When will this judgement be delivered, if you are truthful.”42 [Do they want to believe in it after seeing it?] Tell them: The faith of those who reject will not the slightest be of any benefit to them on the Day of Judgement and neither will they be granted any reprieve [after that]. So, ignore them [O Prophet!] and wait. They too are waiting. (28-30)

(Translated by Dr Shehzad Saleem)

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1. What is the meaning of this name? I have explained in detail my view about it while discussing verse 1 of Surah al-Baqarah.

2. This question is meant to express amazement and wonder. The implication is to ask if they have become so blind and deaf that they are regarding a Book like the Qur’an to be the Prophet’s fabrication.

3. Ie., it is the truth because it is from God and also the truth because whatever it states does not have the possibility of the slightest falsehood in it.

4. Ie., the Quraysh to whom no prophet came after Ishmael (sws) even though he had been made the custodian of the foremost house of worship on this earth.

5. This refers to God’s days which can also be equivalent to thousands and millions of earth days. The reason that the Qur’an mentions this time period of creation is to point to the fact that God has created this world in a very gradual and thorough way. Hence it must not be regarded as an amusement; there is  a purpose for which it has been created.

6. Ie.,  after creating it, He did not become aloof; on the contrary, He is actually governing its affairs.

7. Ie., it is not just that His sphere of governance is confined to the heavens and He has given the governance of the earth to some others, as some foolish think.

8. Ie., are presented to Him and He directly watches the obligations carried out by the angels and in what manner they do it.

9. This is stated because human beings at times show hastiness in trying to understand the affairs of God even though they have been consigned by Him in one go to the angels everytime for a period of a thousand years. They keep manifesting themselves according to God’s wisdom; they are not subject to change every day as per the desires of people.

10. For this reason, people should try to trust God by being positive and must not despair and go to knock at the doors of others.

11. Ie., created everything in such an appropriate and proportionate way and with such perfection viz a viz traits and abilities that no flaw can be pointed out in it nor can any change be suggested in it.

12. This is a mention of the first phase when the physical form of a human being was created. The same method was adopted for it which is now adopted for the creation of a human being. The only difference is that the process that now goes on in a mother’s womb went on in the earth’s womb. Thus all the ingredients of clay which are consumed by us as food and transform into an insignificant fluid and initiate the process through which a human being is created went through this process at that time in stinking clay. Finally, when the physical being was completed, the clay became dry like the shell of an egg. Once it rent apart, a creature came out of it which can be called the physical form of a human being. It can be analogously understood that the first borns of all other creatures came into being in precisely this way.

13. This was the second phase in which the creature created began reproducing and bringing its progeny into existence. Thus the very process which went on in the womb of the earth then began to  happen in the womb of the mother. This was the phase of a human being when it was an unreformed corporal existence devoid of intellect and knowledge.

14. This is the third phase in which after an intermingling of many generations the corporal form was perfected until it became apt for giving it the personality of a human being. Thus two individuals from among these creatures which were present at that time were selected and this personality was given to them through a dilute breath which the Qur’an calls ruh. These were Adam (sws) and Eve. All human beings born after them were their progeny.

A little deliberation shows that these details provided by the Qur’an present a very cogent explanation of the fossil record discovered by scientists and which the proponents of Darwinism present in their favour and in this way try to solve the riddles which could neither be solved earlier in their views nor will ever be in the future.

15. This is the consequence of the blowing of spirit: it created in a physical being devoid of insight and intellect the qualities of head and heart which became its distinction from all other life forms. Thus he has now become capable enough to be told that God has given him ears, eyes and heart. It is for this reason that the Qur’an has changed from indirect to direct address at this instance.

16. Ie., inspite of passing through all these phases they have reached the position they are now in, yet seldom do they show gratitude. Thus sometimes they reject God and sometimes associate partners with Him.

17. Ie., ask this question in a mocking and derisive way.

18. Ie., they are not so thick-headed that after seeing God’s majesties they regard their recreation to be improbable.

19. I.e., they are not prepared to accept that one day they will come to God’s presence and be held answerable for their deeds. Imam Amin Ahsan Islahi writes: 

… It may be kept in mind that at times a person wants to negate something else but uses another thing as an excuse to negate it. The reason is that he does not find any room for direct negation. Similar was the case with the idolaters of Arabia. They believed in God and hence could not explicitly deny that they will not be brought before God; however, nor were they willing to accept the heavy responsibilities imposed on them as a consequence of believing in Him. So, in order to evade them, in the first place they tried to raise such doubts regarding the Hereafter as the one just discussed and if they were ultimately led to accept the Hereafter, they would invent deities and intercessors which would save them from its consequences. (Amin Ahsan Islahi, Tadabbur-i Qur’an, vol. 6, 162)  

20. The implication is that they can deny because God has given this liberty to every person in this world; but this does not mean that they will be able to escape meeting Him. Certainly not! God has deputed an angel of death for everyone. When the time comes, no one else but that angel will claim their souls and take them to God’s presence. No one can escape this fate.

21. The implication is that had God approved of people professing faith after all facts had been exposed to them in this way, there was no need for Him to put them through a test and send them into this world. They could have been forced to accept faith at that time also. This is not God’s scheme; He wants to judge who uses the gift of intellect and acknowledges these facts. They have failed in this test. If they are sent back again in the world for that test, the result will not be any different. As soon as they forget what they are now observing, they will revert to what they had been doing earlier.

22. Ie., He will fill it with all those among jinn and men who fail this test after being lured by Satan. This is a reference to what God had told Satan on the very first day when he had challenged that he would lead all mankind astray. This challenge is cited in verses 82-85 in Surah Su‘ad. It is stated that what God had said at that time has come true and it had to because the consequences of the trial He had made them pass through had to manifest themselves.

23. Ie., ignored them; hence no request or pleading has any weight before Him.

24. This is an assurance sounded to the Prophet (sws): he should not expect anything good from people who are disputing with him because they regard themselves to be superior; only the humble and the meek will profess faith in God’s revelations and submit to Him after hearing them.

25. Ie., affirm all noble attributes in Him and regard Him to be above and beyond any defect or shortcoming.

26. Ie., they never show arrogance at the truth, whether it is small or big in extent.

27. This is because they fear meeting God and also fear accountability in the Hereafter and solely pin their hopes in their Lord. Thus, while sacrificing their comfort, they continue to get up at night in hope and in fear to plead before Him and to offer the prayer.

28. This is a reference to the eternal kingdom which the righteous will receive as a reward for the few days of effort they put in.

29. Ie., with reference to his fate.

30. This is because if this does not happen, it would mean that this world is a meaningless place and is no more than a means of amusement and entertainment and its Creator is totally devoid of the attributes of justice and fairness.

31. This is a mention of the orchards where the dwellers of Paradise will be kept before they enter it. It will be their foremost station of hospitality. The plural جَنّٰتُ is used for these orchards. This shows that each person will have his own orchard. At another instance, the Qur’an has also disclosed that these orchards are nearاَلْمُنْتَهَي  سِدْرَةْ which is the boundary between this world and the next.

32. Ie., the torment will shake and jolt them in this very world. For the Quraysh this imminent torment began with the battle of Badr. The practice of the Almighty regarding nations to whom He sends His messengers is that before the final torment they are admonished through these lesser torments.

33. Ie., those to whom a messenger of God was sent and God’s revelations were recited by him to the people and the truth was conclusively revealed to them in every respect and they still did not accept faith.

34. Ie., the Pharaoh and his nobles.

35. Though this address is towards the Prophet (sws), yet the warning found in it is directed towards the disbelievers who are the addressees of this surah. It is as if what is said is said while turning away the face from them.

36. Ie., like the leaders of today who have taken people astray, they did not become followers of Satan. These are actually glad tidings for Muslims: if they accept the Book of God and remain steadfast on it with full conviction, similar leaders who will guide them will arise among them too. They will become a source of triumph for them both in this world and in the next.

37. After the Pharaoh, the nations of ‘Ad, the Thamud and Lot (sws) are now also referred to.

38. Ie., the signs of the established practice about God’s messengers that they are being told.

39. The implied question is -  don’t they listen to the anecdotes of these nations when they are narrated to them in the Qur’an? The verb “listen” here is used in its real meaning and thus refers to “to understand and seek a lesson.”

40. Ie., what is the reason for their amazement after they see this extraordinary sign of God’s power? Have they become blind, for every now and then they see the dead earth being revived and are still inflicted with the doubt as to how God can recreate them after their death.

41. Ie., ask after observing all these signs found in history and in the world around them.

42. This question would be posed sarcastically. Their implication would  be - when will this verdict be delivered – the verdict the Prophet (sws) is warning them of? If a day has been prescribed for it, then why does it not come? If the Prophet (sws) is truthful, he should bring it over or at least disclose its time of arrival; only then will they believe.